Anti-Venom

The switch couldn't have been easier. As soon as they gave Brendon the choice to save the baby or his brother, the decision was as clear as day. They never wanted Matthew in the first place, they just ended up with him because he pushed Brendon aside when they were part way through demonising him. As soon as Brendon made the choice to save Matthew, they could pick back up on the demonising process. The switch had happened after they threw Brendon to the floor. With how weak both boys were, and how weak the other two were, they were easily able to pick up Brendon again, and carry him off. Now he lies cleaned up on the hotel bed with only Ryan and William for company. Ryan sits carving various symbols into his skin. No blood escapes, because he has no blood left; yet he is awake, and watching Ryan's every move. He should be dead, or in agony, or at the very least he should be reacting in some way, despite his extremely low blood count; but he remains blank and maintains a perfect poker face. Brendon simply cannot be read like a book.

"My word he's strong." William observes and states in wonder. "Ryan he's in so much pain yet look at him."

"He's going to be great." Ryan beams. "My dad's pleased."

"He talkin' you through how to do it?" William asks, the younger demon simply nods.

"What's this one?" Brendon suddenly asks calmly, which takes them Both by surprise.

"Well..." Ryan starts, "That one is your branding you could say, your evidence that you belong to my father and I."

William tilts his head as he watches Ryan doing the carving, and smiles in disbelief when he sees Brendon actually smile.

"Clearly you like that idea." Ryan suggests, to which Brendon nods.

"Yeah." Brendon muses, and then very suddenly reaches forward and grabs Ryan by his wrist; making Ryan gasp loudly and his eyes widen. What he then sees is nothing short of spectacular, and amazing. In front of him is a dark paved bridge over a river of what appears to be lava. Beyond the bridge is a truly great building - a magnificent palace made of volcanic stone, covered in fiery veins in which blood visibly travels through. The sky is fiery orange, with dark black clouds and smoke swirling throughout. It's hot yes, but it isn't unbearable, the temperature seems to be whatever the mind decides it's going to be.

He sees the bridge moving towards him then, almost as if he is walking across it; and he arrives at the gates of the fiery palace. A demonic guard stands either side of the gate - however both of these guards look human. The only difference is that they have small horns protruding from their heads and tails. One seems very well toned, while the other is smaller. Their skin is scarred and burned, yet they wear the scars with pride. Both have jaw length brown hair - like William's, and both have extremely dark eyes. Neither of them are wearing any clothes, yet that's not an issue. Ryan had grown up well aware that clothes aren't worn there.

Both of these guards bow down on one knee as he arrives at the gate; and with a heavy clanging and wrenching sound the gate opens. Both guards stay completely still, Ryan however takes a step back. Right there before him, now stands a giant of a man, and a small and delicate looking woman. The man has the signature jaw length dark hair, eyes of pure red. He has skin that gives him an extremely sun tanned look, with various tattoos. Unlike the others here, he is wearing clothes, well, black torn pants anyway. He has an incredibly long tail that wraps around his body, and his horns are more than twice the size of those his guards have. To finish it all off he has a pair of enormous, and extremely beautiful black wings.

The woman is nowhere near as big, and is fair skinned, with long blonde hair. Her eyes are red just like everyone else's, and she too has a set of beautiful black wigs. She is also wearing clothes, albeit a very very tiny red bikini - the top of which is near enough see through.

A feeling that Ryan has never felt before hits him. He finds himself stepping up to the two of them, and they embrace him with a hug.

However that's where the experience ends, and Ryan finds himself brought back to the hotel room.

"What did he show you?" William asks excitedly, the second Ryan moves. For the past few moments, he has watched as Ryan sat frozen, and Bredon sat watching over him and holding his wrist. William had been unable to break the contact and so realised what had happened.

"My parents." Ryan utters in disbelief. "He showed me my parents, my mom and my dad, he - oh fuck that was... they told me they're proud of me. He's said it before but this, this was in person this was, this was, oh fuck what the hell was that?"

"That's the sort of demon your father had you make me." Brendon tells him. "Whenever I have a vision of him, I can take you to him. So long as the gate is open I serve you now, for eternity. You can't ever join him in hell. Which is why he wants the gate to remain open. So I can take you to him. But if that girl has Patrick's baby, then the gate closes. Not only will all of us be sent down into your father's realm, but you'll be trapped here alone, for eternity. Your punishment for being the son of the devil. You can never leave this earth. While the gate's open it's your playground; but if it shuts, it's your prison."

"So I'll be here alone." Ryan states, sounding broken hearted. "No demons, no vampires, no werewolves, no malevolent spirits, no, just me just- "

"Ryan I'm so sorry." William tries.

"Just answer me one question." The teenager requests. "How did my dad get up here to create me if he's trapped down there?"

"A man got his wife pregnant, and on the same night, he got another woman pregnant. Both women have birth on May the 13th, both had girls. Both girls were named Persephone. They were identical. Both girls were given up at birth and handed over to the care of a local establishment. The establishment was actually in honour of your father. The girls grew up together. Neither of them spoke, neither of them gave any facial expression to show any feelings. They just seemed to exist. Then one night, when they were sixteen there was an earthquake. One girl fell into one of the pits created by the shifting ground. When she landed, her hand was bleeding; and she landed with that hand against a buried relic, one put there many, many years ago. It was said that the blood of an innocent would touch it and open the gates of hell. True to that statement the gates opened, and the girl was dragged down. That girl was your mother. She was alive, and she was in hell. Everybody thought she was dead. So when she came to, it was a huge shock to every body. She was led in your father's palace in hell, and was treated like a heroine. She really was. Everybody worshipped her, even your father. She woke a few months later, shortly after your father realised she still had a heart beat. She wasn't scared, she wasn't anything really. If anything she was intrigued, and very quickly found herself falling in love. Your father took her in front of everybody down there, like he does with every woman he fucks. Only this one was different because she was human and still alive. She felt nothing but pain when your dad was inside her. She wound up having to be held by myself and a few others so that he could do as he pleases. But she wanted it, she wanted to give herself to him. Then he told her she had to come back up, because she wasn't dead. He told me that Myself and a few chosen other creatures had to come with her because she was pregnant with his child. Six months later you were born. She was dead before we got you out."

"William, who... Who was the other girl, what happened to her?" Brendon asks. William just looks at him, and to Ryan.

"No." Ryan begs, and shakes his head. "No, no tell me something else do not tell me that don't tell me-"

But William tells him exactly what he doesn't want to hear.

"She was Gwen's mother."